Page 29 of Home to the Cowboy's Arms

“It’s a deal.” Cade nodded. “You know, you’re a good dad. It can’t be easy being a full-time sheriff and a full-time single dad. Yet, you manage, and you’ve raised quite a young lady there.”

“Thanks for the compliment on my daughter. But I cannot take full credit. I don’t know what we would have done without Tori. I will always be grateful she wouldn’t take no for an answer when she wanted me to bring Jillie and myself here to Destiny’s River so she could help out with Jillie. It was my sis to the rescue as always.”

“As always? Are you talking about her dedication to the town also?”

“Well, there is that too, I guess. But you probably aren’t aware that the four of us—Tori, my sister Cassie, me, and my brother Rance—were raised in the foster system. Our mother died in a hit-and-run and we went to our grandmother. She eventually died of cancer, and we were placed into care. Tori always looked out for all of us. That’s why when she aged out, she worked and saved money and went in search of a place we could know as home. She decided that Destiny’s River was the place. And she was right. Each of us had the ability to go out and search out our own dreams with her help with money for schooling or whatever. I used to say that she was old long before she grew out of her teens. She fought battles of one kind or another. And she is still doing that wherever needed.”

“Plus she bakes amazing desserts, runs a whole town, and can handle a horse pretty good.”

“And according to my daughter she is the mostest awesome aunt in the entire universe.”

Cade grinned. “That sums it up.”

“Yes. And now why do I feel that you accepting this invitation was going to happen no matter what? This has something to do with Tori.”

Cade sat forward in his chair, the empty bottle going on the table. He met Matt’s inquiring gaze with a steady one on his part.

“You are a smart man. And an even better sheriff. What I can tell you is that your sister is good for this town. I believe that now. And anything else is something I’m not ready to share. But if that time comes, we’ll talk again. In the meantime, how about getting those burgers done? I’m hungry.”

*

“Remind me thisis for charity—a good cause. And keep reminding me over and over. And then remember that you promised you would never expect this from me again.” Matt was trying to tie the bow tie for the third time and soon to be a fourth.

Tori gave an exasperated sigh and stepped up behind him. She batted his hands away from the material and began redoing the tie. “You are so helpless when it comes to dressing up. You spend too much time in uniform. Be still.”

“This is ridiculous, Tori. Why did you go along with this idea? What happened to the fish fry we used to do? That made money.”

“And that might still be done in the summer…when people want to be out on water and it isn’t freezing. Stop griping and go along with it. You might have fun. Who knows?”

“You remember that you promised that if Lisa Johnson or Sara Masters…or Janet Nelson bid on me…you will jump in and bid. Right? You worked it out with Maggie, right? You give her the money that you get from me and all will be well.”

She finished with the bow tie and patted it. “There…do not touch it again. And yes, I have your escape plan in place should one of those three bid on you.”

“How about you? Anyone you want me to save you from?”

“I’m not like you; I don’t take all of this to heart. People will bid and that is the whole point. We aren’t arranging a marriage contract tonight. And it’s dinner at the country club so no surprises. Look at it that you will get a great dinner out of it.”

“Tori, you need to get ready,” Leslie called from the hallway. “Your clothing is in the room next door. And, Matt, please don’t forget your mask.”

Tori followed Leslie into the dressing area next door. The door shut and Leslie couldn’t contain her excitement. “This is going to be such a hit…I can feel it. And when you come out in the gown and headpiece we got on loan from my aunt in New Orleans…it will be the showstopper. Of course, I’m just so disappointed still that we couldn’t get Cade Lockwood, the most eligible single of all, to participate. But he had to go to some meeting on the West Coast of all times. The show must go on.”

Tori slowly shook her head. “Remember what I said when you brought up this idea of your aunt and her costumes. I won’t be wearing anything risqué like you see during Mardi Gras in New Orleans…got it? G-rated.”

“Of course not. No R-rated outfits. PG at the most,” Leslie said, crossing her heart. “You will love it.”

There was a knock on the door and Tori’s hairdresser and the makeup artist that had been hired for the evening for all the women came in. Kristi was quick on reading the room and Tori’s level of patience. “Everyone out now so we can prepare your showstopper, Leslie.” She herded the woman from the room and shut and locked it.

“Thank you, Kristi.” Tori smiled as the pair began unpacking their wares on the dressing table.

“Just relax,” she said. “You’re in our hands now and there’s nothing to worry about.”

Tori did just that. She sat back in the swivel chair and let the masters go to work. Closing her eyes, she settled in as Kristi put some soft music on the radio and they began her transformation.

“Okay, we’ll touch up the makeup after we get you into the dress. And then again after we get your headpiece and mask on.” Kristi and Lily the makeup artist began taking the gown out of its bag. It was a massive skirt and train, heavy with shimmering spangles and jewels in shades of scarlet reds fading into the black sequined top. The headpiece was an incredible mass of long black pheasant feathers jutting from the red sequined mask that covered her face to just above the mouth.

“You have your red and black stilettos on. Now step in carefully,” the ladies instructed, holding both sides of the gown. They worked on securing the gown’s zippers and ties. Tori wasn’t allowed to see her reflection until they were complete with her transformation. When they added the headpiece, Tori was thrown a bit off-balance. Luckily, the ladies quickly righted her.

“The dress weighs a ton with all the beading,” Tori said. “And the headdress feels like someone set a brick weight on my head. The mask is itching. How am I supposed to act glamorous and mysterious in this?”

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